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There was a time when I was depressed about how the vampire movies were being made. Byzantium was a relief in that case, and before that movie, there was another flick which brought a certain relief, but it was even more unknown and didn’t do much at the box-office either. It was not that well-received because people were really not expecting this kind of a vampire movie, which they will consider not their kind of entertainment and also not the kind of horror that they want.

Well, the situation was more about making a choice. But it also meant that another vampire movie which had the true essence had to go down. It is never a good sign for a true vampire lover who wishes to keep the vampire essence closer to the vampires rather than mixing or bringing it to the human side so much that it makes one wonder if the resultant creature is a human in a vampire disguise. So, it is once again up-to us to bring such lesser known movies further attention.

Based on the novel Let the Right One In by John Ajvide Lindqvist and also coming after a Swedish movie of the same name had already released, this one has a lesser reception. Let Me In has managed good critical reception though, even as most of the people who have watched the Swedish original are stubborn and not ready to watch or accept this because they were too attached to that one. You don’t usually see this much critically appreciated movies in the horror genre, and Let Me In is not just about horror.

Chloë Grace Moretz is the future: She has been amazing.

Owen (Kodi Smit-McPhee), a boy neglected by his parents and bullied by other students at school, has a girl called Abby (Chloë Grace Moretz) arriving to live next door with her father Thomas (Richard Jenkins). She is pale, acts strange, has no friends and wishes to have no acquaintances outside what seems to be her small world of two. Still, the boy and girl soon become good friends, but it turns out that the latter is not what she is actually believed to be. There are mysterious deaths happening in the neighborhood, and soon, it is the father who goes missing.

Bullying is a central point in this movie and the movie speaks against it. It is the major factor on which the protagonist’s life is developed, as he remains hopeless, and feeling eternally weak before the bullying students until he meets the girl, his first real friend and a strange source of power. The relationship between the two develops slowly, but beautifully, without any exaggerated additions. She is the strength that he has longed for, and as the movie reaches the end, the two are good enough to compliment each other, as he finds the strength to resist the bullies.

The vampire’s need for blood and their hidden lifestyle is shown without the style and glorification that it had with some of the movies of the time. There is nothing that much of beautiful about it here with being the creature of the night. There is not even the strange mystery which is often equated with beauty. Things are rather clear here. It is not that interesting being the immortal vampire. The need for blood is beyond control and the requirement of hiding is so much. There is no usual kind of entertainment, but there is the skill of story-telling and the strength of strong emotions in display here.

The kids are too good in this movie; there is not much about the adult characters here though. Chloë Grace Moretz and Kodi Smit-McPhee come up with incredibly mature performances. The former adds a very significant strength to the adaptation, as she works through her vampire-self with elegance in this movie. She adds her own charm to the character, and once again proves herself as the future of the movie world. You will surely need to watch Let Me In, and may be the Swedish version, Let the Right One In depending on which one you get. Here is another #UnknownMasterpiece.

So, my post wins the prize which is a pass to the India Today Conclave (https://theteacerebration.wordpress.com/2015/02/21/the-vision/), and it was a write-up which was based on the vampire universe, with the Vampire Bat at the centre, showing the great uncle, how he has remade the world. On this occasion, I would like to give that thanksgiving post to the vampires with information about the best vampires movies of all time, along with thanking India Today and BlogAdda for this opportunity.

There are too many vampire movies that I like, and I would like to leave the classic behind this time, because they don’t need to be told as the best. Yes, these movies which follow are also classics of the future and the first one is actually seen with so much reverence among the vampire fans. Along with this list, I would like to thank the Gothic thoughts which have been surrounding me and helping me to bring a new flavour to my blog posts, and a twist to my tales.

Interview with the Vampire: The Vampire Chronicles (1994) :: Based on the Anne Rice novel of the same name, this is a movie which overpowers the novel which was also so good. The credit for the same goes to the incredibly powerful and effective cast which includes Brad Pitt, Tom Cruise, Christian Slater, Kirsten Dunst and Antonio Banderas. The credit should also go to our director along with the cast, as we know how bad the sequel The Queen of the Damned happened to be. Louis de Pointe du Lac and Lestat de Lioncourt are those vampire characters to look out for, as the go through the life unsuspected by humans and working with their philosophy, questioning more than just a few things.Best Quote: “I longed for death. I know that now. I invited it. A release from the pain of living. My invitation was open to anyone. To the whore at my side. To the pimp that followed. But it was a vampire that accepted it”.

Chloë Grace Moretz is the future: She was too good in Let Me In as the child vampire

Let Me In (2010) :: This movie is not recommended for pure and blind entertainment seekers, and all the movies in the list do have this quality in varying degrees. A remake of the Swedish movie Let the Right One In and also an adaptation of the novel of the same name from John Ajvide Lindqvist. Chloë Grace Moretz as Abby, the child vampire comes up with a stunning performance. It is a reflection of how horror movies can be beautiful art. The movie tells the story of a bullied boy who meets a vampire girl, and develops a friendship with her. The boy who who finds life difficult due to bullying, finds the girl who has her own difficulties, thus joining the two lone souls.Best Quote [From the book]: “He had put his hand up in class, a declaration of existence, a claim that he knew something. And that was forbidden to him. They could give a number of reasons for why they had to torment him. But the real problem was simply that he existed, and every reminder of his existence was a crime”.

Vampire Journals (1997) :: This movie is a case of unexpected awesomeness. When I watched it, I knew nobody who acted in this one anyone associated with the crew. What they have managed with their limited resources is unbelievable. Just like the Brad Pitt-Tom Cruise movie mentioned above, this one also has a vampire with a human heart, and is desperate and disappointed with his new blood-sucking life. They are vampires, and yet human; but without those silly and ridiculous things that humans come up with. There is the darkness, stylish Gothic buildings, shadows and the music of the piano to hanut you. This might be the best low-budget vampire movie ever.Best Quote: “I am God’s most desolate creature – a vampire with a mortal heart. I destroyed the one who spawned me and I have sworn to destroy his entire bloodline – the ones who stole me from the warmth of the sun”.

Saoirse Ronan and Gemma Arterton completely steals the show in Byzantium

Byzantium (2012) :: As a completely female-centric movie, this one has Saoirse Ronan and Gemma Arterton playing the major characters; the daughter and the mother vampires who travel through the world undetected to save themselves from a certain doom that follows them. The movie has a stunningly chilling atmosphere, and the skills of its lady leads take it to another level. Look out for that moment which has a stream of blood flowing between the rocks into the sea. It is a beautiful and powerful experience that this wonderful movie leaves us with. This is more like a work of art, with its horror experience more beautiful than scary, and you need to watch this to know it.Best Quote: “My story can never be told. I write it over and over. I write of what I cannot speak: the truth. I write all I know of it, then I throw that pages to the wind. Maybe the birds can read it”.

***The images used in this blog post are from the Official Facebook Pages of two movies which are mentioned. The list is not in any particular order. There are also a few other nice vampire movies, but these remain the best and this is a special list. None of these focus too much on the violence or the hunting of humans or vampires even when blood does run through. If you are looking for a full vampire action movie, you should go for “Underworld” and its sequels. Meanwhile, “Fright Night” solves your need for comedy. I have to watch a few movies like “Cronos” and “The Hunger” and there is the need to add more to this list.